Latest news with #Habs
Edmonton Journal
12 hours ago
- General
- Edmonton Journal
What the Puck: Many Habs fans are temporary Oilers fans
Article content But there is something different going on in these playoffs. All of a sudden a lot of Habs fans have become — for the moment — Oilers fans. When you take a step back, it makes a lot of sense. First-off, Edmonton is the last Canadian team standing and as we all know, no team from Canada has won the Cup since the Habs' last win way back in 1993. Hopefully Montreal does indeed get that 25th Stanley Cup in the coming years as the kids reach their peak years, but let's be honest. If it does happen, it'll take a couple of years. And it's time for Canada to take back what it rightfully deserves. It's also political. Maybe not as political as the Canada versus the U.S. Bataille Royale in the 4 Nations tourney, but there's no denying there's a renewed pride in Canadian hockey sparked by this new wave of Canadian nationalism that's arrived in the wake of Donald Trump's bellicose anti-Canadian attitude.
Vancouver Sun
13 hours ago
- General
- Vancouver Sun
What the Puck: Many Habs fans are temporary Oilers fans
Montrealers aren't hockey fans. They's Habs fans. I've always said that and there's a lot of truth to that statement. We watch the playoffs with great intensity when the Canadiens are still in the hunt, which, sadly, hasn't been the case nearly often enough in recent years. But when they're bounced early or even worse don't make the post-season, our interest dips big time. That's exactly what happened this year after Nos Canadiens went out in five games against the not-so-mighty Washington Capitals , who in turn were easily handled by the Carolina Hurricanes. But there is something different going on in these playoffs. All of a sudden a lot of Habs fans have become — for the moment — Oilers fans. When you take a step back, it makes a lot of sense. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. First-off, Edmonton is the last Canadian team standing and as we all know, no team from Canada has won the Cup since the Habs' last win way back in 1993. Hopefully Montreal does indeed get that 25th Stanley Cup in the coming years as the kids reach their peak years, but let's be honest. If it does happen, it'll take a couple of years. And it's time for Canada to take back what it rightfully deserves. It's also political. Maybe not as political as the Canada versus the U.S. Bataille Royale in the 4 Nations tourney , but there's no denying there's a renewed pride in Canadian hockey sparked by this new wave of Canadian nationalism that's arrived in the wake of Donald Trump's bellicose anti-Canadian attitude. Oh and it turns out the other team in the final comes from Florida of all places, a red state that happens also to be home to MAGA's ground zero, Trump playpen Mar-a-Lago. Not to mention that the Tampa Bay Lightning have already won three Cups and the Florida Panthers took the championship last year. Teams from the Sunshine State winning the Stanley Cup is just wrong. End of story. 'Hockey should only be available where there is ice naturally,' said Ken Moodie, a Toronto Maple Leafs fan who I met in Dorchester Square just off Peel St. on Monday. Moodie, by the way, is pulling for the Oilers. 'They're the Canadian team and the Florida Panthers, worst team in the league,' said Moodie. And he's right. The Panthers are the team that benefits the most from the dumb NHL policy that has the officials turning a blind eye in the playoffs to all kinds of dirty play that would get automatically called during the regular season. Hockey fan Peter Bisaillion riffed on that issue when he messaged me on X Tuesday. 'We are seeing in this Stanley Cup Final a recreation of the 1976 Stanley Cup Final. The 1976 final saw the Montreal Canadiens sweep the Philadelphia Flyers in four games that were all close. The consequence of that series was a return to skilled and elite hockey instead of cloning the Broad Street Bullies. Subsequent winners of the Stanley Cup after the Montreal Canadiens (New York Islanders and Edmonton Oilers ) were both skilled elite teams. That same confrontation is now evident in this upcoming series. We can only hope that the on-ice officiating is up to par.' My feeling is you can pretty well be guaranteed the officiating will be just as idiotic as it's been in all the other series. This is the league that thinks it's perfectly okay to have Brendan Gallagher cross-checked right on the teeth just inches from the officials. D-U-M-B. And the Panthers thrive on that crap. Then there's the Connor McDavid factor. He is hands down the greatest hockey player in the world at this exact second and most of us think it would be cool for him to nab the one trophy he's never gotten. Since losing in Game 7 last year to the Florida Panthers, McDavid and the Oilers have been on a mission. He's never been the biggest talker but he's almost been in a rage in a few of his post-game interviews this playoff, and I love that passion. So yeah, most of us are down with a 'Let's Go Oilers' sign on the Champlain Bridge , though I think lighting up the entire bridge in the blue and orange colours of Edmonton's hockey team is a tad over the top. 'Seeing McDavid having another chance at it is definitely something that would be great to see,' said fan Gabriel Hamelin, having a brew at McLean's Pub. 'He has a redemption shot this year.' For Habs fans, there's no real conflict supporting the Oilers, said Lucas Peters, also at McLean's. 'It's not like the Leafs made the Stanley Cup Final,' said Peters. 'So yeah I think you can switch to being an Oilers fan. It'd be nice to see the Cup back in Canada.' Amen.
Montreal Gazette
13 hours ago
- General
- Montreal Gazette
What the Puck: Many Habs fans are temporary Oilers fans
Hockey Inside Out Montrealers aren't hockey fans. They's Habs fans. I've always said that and there's a lot of truth to that statement. We watch the playoffs with great intensity when the Canadiens are still in the hunt, which, sadly, hasn't been the case nearly often enough in recent years. But when they're bounced early or even worse don't make the post-season, our interest dips big time. That's exactly what happened this year after Nos Canadiens went out in five games against the not-so-mighty Washington Capitals, who in turn were easily handled by the Carolina Hurricanes. But there is something different going on in these playoffs. All of a sudden a lot of Habs fans have become — for the moment — Oilers fans. When you take a step back, it makes a lot of sense. First-off, Edmonton is the last Canadian team standing and as we all know, no team from Canada has won the Cup since the Habs' last win way back in 1993. Hopefully Montreal does indeed get that 25th Stanley Cup in the coming years as the kids reach their peak years, but let's be honest. If it does happen, it'll take a couple of years. And it's time for Canada to take back what it rightfully deserves. It's also political. Maybe not as political as the Canada versus the U.S. Bataille Royale in the 4 Nations tourney, but there's no denying there's a renewed pride in Canadian hockey sparked by this new wave of Canadian nationalism that's arrived in the wake of Donald Trump's bellicose anti-Canadian attitude. Oh and it turns out the other team in the final comes from Florida of all places, a red state that happens also to be home to MAGA's ground zero, Trump playpen Mar-a-Lago. Not to mention that the Tampa Bay Lightning have already won three Cups and the Florida Panthers took the championship last year. Teams from the Sunshine State winning the Stanley Cup is just wrong. End of story. 'Hockey should only be available where there is ice naturally,' said Ken Moodie, a Toronto Maple Leafs fan who I met in Dorchester Square just off Peel St. on Monday. Moodie, by the way, is pulling for the Oilers. 'They're the Canadian team and the Florida Panthers, worst team in the league,' said Moodie. And he's right. The Panthers are the team that benefits the most from the dumb NHL policy that has the officials turning a blind eye in the playoffs to all kinds of dirty play that would get automatically called during the regular season. Hockey fan Peter Bisaillion riffed on that issue when he messaged me on X Tuesday. 'We are seeing in this Stanley Cup Final a recreation of the 1976 Stanley Cup Final. The 1976 final saw the Montreal Canadiens sweep the Philadelphia Flyers in four games that were all close. The consequence of that series was a return to skilled and elite hockey instead of cloning the Broad Street Bullies. Subsequent winners of the Stanley Cup after the Montreal Canadiens (New York Islanders and Edmonton Oilers) were both skilled elite teams. That same confrontation is now evident in this upcoming series. We can only hope that the on-ice officiating is up to par.' My feeling is you can pretty well be guaranteed the officiating will be just as idiotic as it's been in all the other series. This is the league that thinks it's perfectly okay to have Brendan Gallagher cross-checked right on the teeth just inches from the officials. D-U-M-B. And the Panthers thrive on that crap. Then there's the Connor McDavid factor. He is hands down the greatest hockey player in the world at this exact second and most of us think it would be cool for him to nab the one trophy he's never gotten. Since losing in Game 7 last year to the Florida Panthers, McDavid and the Oilers have been on a mission. He's never been the biggest talker but he's almost been in a rage in a few of his post-game interviews this playoff, and I love that passion. So yeah, most of us are down with a 'Let's Go Oilers' sign on the Champlain Bridge, though I think lighting up the entire bridge in the blue and orange colours of Edmonton's hockey team is a tad over the top. 'Seeing McDavid having another chance at it is definitely something that would be great to see,' said fan Gabriel Hamelin, having a brew at McLean's Pub. 'He has a redemption shot this year.' For Habs fans, there's no real conflict supporting the Oilers, said Lucas Peters, also at McLean's. 'It's not like the Leafs made the Stanley Cup Final,' said Peters. 'So yeah I think you can switch to being an Oilers fan. It'd be nice to see the Cup back in Canada.'
Ottawa Citizen
13 hours ago
- General
- Ottawa Citizen
What the Puck: Many Habs fans are temporary Oilers fans
Article content Montrealers aren't hockey fans. They's Habs fans. Article content I've always said that and there's a lot of truth to that statement. We watch the playoffs with great intensity when the Canadiens are still in the hunt, which, sadly, hasn't been the case nearly often enough in recent years. Article content But when they're bounced early or even worse don't make the post-season, our interest dips big time. That's exactly what happened this year after Nos Canadiens went out in five games against the not-so-mighty Washington Capitals, who in turn were easily handled by the Carolina Hurricanes. Article content Article content But there is something different going on in these playoffs. All of a sudden a lot of Habs fans have become — for the moment — Oilers fans. When you take a step back, it makes a lot of sense. Article content Article content First-off, Edmonton is the last Canadian team standing and as we all know, no team from Canada has won the Cup since the Habs' last win way back in 1993. Hopefully Montreal does indeed get that 25th Stanley Cup in the coming years as the kids reach their peak years, but let's be honest. If it does happen, it'll take a couple of years. And it's time for Canada to take back what it rightfully deserves. Article content It's also political. Maybe not as political as the Canada versus the U.S. Bataille Royale in the 4 Nations tourney, but there's no denying there's a renewed pride in Canadian hockey sparked by this new wave of Canadian nationalism that's arrived in the wake of Donald Trump's bellicose anti-Canadian attitude. Article content Article content Oh and it turns out the other team in the final comes from Florida of all places, a red state that happens also to be home to MAGA's ground zero, Trump playpen Mar-a-Lago. Not to mention that the Tampa Bay Lightning have already won three Cups and the Florida Panthers took the championship last year. Teams from the Sunshine State winning the Stanley Cup is just wrong. End of story. Article content 'Hockey should only be available where there is ice naturally,' said Ken Moodie, a Toronto Maple Leafs fan who I met in Dorchester Square just off Peel St. on Monday. Article content Moodie, by the way, is pulling for the Oilers. Article content And he's right. The Panthers are the team that benefits the most from the dumb NHL policy that has the officials turning a blind eye in the playoffs to all kinds of dirty play that would get automatically called during the regular season.
New York Times
26-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Which NHL team should win the 2025 Conned Smythe for worst trade with a contender?
With the conference finals well underway and the Stanley Cup Final looming, it's time to focus on the top candidates for the game's most important playoff award: the Conned Smythe. Yes, that's 'Conned' and not 'Conn.' We all know about the Conn Smythe, given to the playoff MVP. But that's an individual award, and as we're constantly being reminded, hockey is a team game. And the Conned Smythe is a team award — specifically, the team that had the biggest impact on the playoffs by making the worst trade with a contending club. Advertisement This is a fake award I invented a few years ago, and it's been retroactively awarded for every year of the cap era. The 2023 Vegas Golden Knights gave us a ton of strong candidates, and last year's field was competitive. You might be wondering if this year's contenders are just going to be a rehash of last year's list, given three of the four finalists are the same. But with plenty of big moves in the year since, some shifting dynamics among those teams and a 'no repeat winners' rule that I just made up to be nice to Sabres fans, there's plenty of turnover this year. As always, these need to be player trades — no trading of future draft picks who turned into guys, and no waivers or free agency. We'll count down ten candidate teams, from weakest to strongest, based on how the field looks right now. And yes, you think you know where this is going. But it's going to be a tougher call than you think. The trades: The Habs sneak into the top ten with a couple of under-the-radar trades that are still in play. They get credit for the 2023 deal that sent Evgenii Dadonov to Dallas for Denis Gurianov, as well as the 2022 deal that sent Brett Kulak to Edmonton for William Lagesson, a 2022 second-round pick and a 2024 seventh-round pick. The case for: While neither of those deals was a blockbuster, they ended with solid players in key roles on a contender, and one of those two is going to be in the Stanley Cup final. Given that Gurianov and Lagesson combined to play just 26 games for the Habs, they didn't get much in return other than that second-rounder. The case against: Let's check to see who the Habs drafted with that second-round pick and OOPS, you know what, never mind. Bottom line: Oh, lord, the Habs fans didn't even stick around for that section and are already down in the comments, aren't they? Advertisement The trade: Spoiler alert: Mikko Rantanen is going to be the main character in this post. But trades go both ways, and right now, Logan Stankoven is having a decent run in Carolina. The case for: It's not often you see a team trade away a 22-year-old stud in his first full season. The case against: It's not often that guys like Rantanen are available, and right now, there's not a soul in Dallas who regrets this deal. Bottom line: It would take a lot of weird stuff happening between now and the end of the final for this one to emerge as a true candidate. And let's just say Stankoven and the Hurricanes don't look like they'll be around to make it happen. The trade: They sent Adam Henrique to the Oilers at last year's deadline. The case for: He had the first two goals in the Oilers' series-turning Game 4 win against the Golden Knights. The case against: The game made you go, 'Oh, neat, I guess Adam Henrique is on the Oilers.' Bottom line: Barring an OT goal or two in the final, this one feels unlikely. The trade: We love it when an old trade pops back up for Conned Smythe consideration. In this case, the Penguins can still claim credit for the 2012 deal that sent Jordan Staal to Carolina for a package of future assets that didn't pan out. The case for: Staal isn't just a key piece of the Hurricanes — he's also their captain, meaning he'd be the one to take the Cup handoff from Gary Bettman. It feels like that would add some juice to the Penguins' case. The case against: Lifting the Cup requires mixing in the occasional conference final win, so… Bottom line: We'll just file this one under 'in case of miracle.' The trades: The Sharks are our first team to have three trades in play, an impressive showing for a team that hasn't had a ton of veteran talent to work with recently. Two of those deals came around this year's deadline, with the Sharks sending Jake Walman to Edmonton and Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci to Dallas, each deal landing them a first. And if we reach back a bit further, they also sent Brent Burns to the Hurricanes three years ago. Advertisement The case for: The Sharks offer quantity and quality. Burns has been a key piece for the Hurricanes, not to mention the league's top OGWAC story. Walman has been a key addition to the Oilers' blue line. And Granlund has been one of the deadline's biggest impact players, including having a hat trick in a crucial 3-1 win against the Jets. The case against: While those are all good players having legitimate impacts on this year's playoffs, were any of those trades bad for the Sharks? That's part of what the 'Conned' in Conned Smythe is supposed to mean, and I doubt the Sharks want a do-over on any of those deals. Burns was a salary dump, and Mike Grier added first-round picks in the other two moves. If anything, you could argue that the Red Wings should get some Conned Smythe attention for sending Walman to San Jose in the first place. But the Sharks? They have no regrets. Bottom line: I'm not saying it would be theoretically impossible to win the Conned Smythe on a trade that worked out for both sides, but the bar should be high. I don't think the Sharks come all that close to clearing it. The trade: At the 2023 deadline, the Predators sent Mattias Ekholm to the Oilers for a first and some spare parts. The case for: Ekholm has basically been a home run for the Oilers ever since the deal went down, slotting in as arguably their most important defenseman. The case against: He's been hurt so far this postseason. While he's expected back soon, he won't have as much runway to make an impact as some other candidates. And Nashville fans probably don't mind this deal, since it landed them a strong prospect and some needed cap flexibility that allowed them to… well, on second thought, maybe they would mind. Bottom line: Compared to the rest of the final four, the Oilers don't do much trading, so if they win the Cup then there won't be many options. (Then again, if Connor McDavid can win the Conn Smythe in a year where they lose in the final, maybe we can do the same with the Conned.) Advertisement The trades: The Blackhawks were a key — if mostly forgotten — part of the Rantanen trade, even though they didn't know it at the time. But even if you don't want to give them any credit for retaining salary, don't forget that they also sent Taylor Hall of Carolina as part of that three-way deal. And of course, they also sent Seth Jones to the Panthers at this year's deadline. The case for: Jones has been very good in Florida, including a signature performance in Game 7 against Toronto. The case against: Hall hasn't exactly lit up the scoreboard as part of Carolina's middle six. And given how Jones basically forced his way out of Chicago, you could argue that they didn't have much choice in moving him, which feels like it should hurt their Conned case. Bottom line: One thing worth remembering that adds to the Hawks' case: A lot of us didn't love their side of the Rantanen/Hall deal, which saw them net only a third for Hall and all that retained salary. They even got an ultra-rare 'F' in our trade grades. That's the sort of whiff Conned Smythe voters love, so if Hall could catch fire with a few big goals, they'd have a shot. The trades: The big one here is that the Bruins sent Brad Marchand to the Panthers at the deadline for a conditional second. But don't forget that they also sent Tyler Seguin to the Stars. Sure, it was over a decade ago, but for our purposes, it still counts. (They also traded Trent Frederic to Edmonton at the deadline, although technically he had a stop in New Jersey as part of a three-way deal, so I'm not sure how much that counts.) The case for: The Seguin deal was unquestionably bad, partly because the Bruins, for some reason, decided to film the discussions that led to it and then post that online. Time will tell if Boston fans view the Marchand deal as a negative, but seeing him go to a division rival and help them win a Cup would at least be tough to swallow. Advertisement The case against: Because the Panthers are in the conference finals, that conditional second for Marchand is now a first, which lessens any sting Bruins fans might be feeling. Bottom line: The bottom line here is that if you've never watched the Seguin trade video, you absolutely need to, because it will make you feel better about your own team's front office. The trades: The Flames were a favorite for last year's award, thanks to the separate deals that sent Sam Bennett and later Matthew Tkachuk to the Panthers. They lost in a mild upset to the Sabres and their trio of Sam Reinhart, Brandon Montour and Kyle Okposo, but that may have just cleared the field for an easy win this year. The case for: Bennett and Tkachuk are two of the Panthers' four or five most important forwards, and Bennett has been having the sort of greasy but effective postseason that's going to get him paid this summer. The case against: Battling through an injury suffered at the 4 Nations, Tkachuk hasn't been anywhere near as visible in this year's postseason as he had in recent years. Bottom line: The rare double-down of two stars traded to the same team makes the Flames the clear front-runner if the Panthers pull off the repeat. The trades: It's obviously the Rantanen trade. But… which one? That's the curveball we're being thrown here. The Conned Smythe isn't supposed to overlap with the Conn Smythe, but when the favorite for the latter has been traded that season, it should all add up to an easy call. Except in this case, 'traded' isn't specific enough, because it happened twice. So which one do we use? The January shocker that sent him from Colorado to Carolina? Or the March deal that saw the Hurricanes flip him to Dallas? The case for Colorado: Based on the admittedly loose set of rules around this completely made-up award, you could argue they shouldn't even be in the running. After all, they traded Rantanen to Carolina, and he doesn't play there anymore. He's not their Conned Smythe problem, any more than you'd blame the Predators or Blue Jackets for Seth Jones being a Panther. Advertisement Except… well, this clearly isn't that, right? The Avalanche traded a superstar that they'd drafted and developed, apparently over a relatively small amount of money, in a move that stunned some teams around the league who didn't even know he was on the block. Then that same star showed up across the ice in the first round, and almost single-handedly ended their season just a few months later. If that kind of trade can't land you a Conned Smythe, what are we even doing here? The case for Carolina: It's the Conned Smythe, not the Conned Smythe-once-removed. If Rantanen continues to dominate the postseason, the Hurricanes have a solid claim here under procedural grounds. And of course, if he were to cap off his run by beating the Hurricanes in the final, that makes the case all that much stronger. (But it doesn't seem like that's a realistic outcome anymore.) The case against: If Rantanen wins the real Conn Smythe, there isn't one. But if the Stars lose to the Oilers, that would clear the field for someone else to move up and steal the prize. Bottom line: I'm confused. If the Stars go to the final, and if Rantanen keeps dominating, then clearly one of these teams has to win. But which one? Do we stick to the letter of the law, or can we go with the spirit of the thing? Let me know what you're thinking in the comments, and we'll see if we can work this out. (Top photo of Mikko Rantanen: Sam Hodde / Getty Images)
